You're not alone
by Kari Weasley
Summary: Eric is tired of being on the island and has decided to stay away from everyone at camp, but Melissa is still there to listen to him. One-Shot.


**I noticed there aren't many Eric/Melissa fanfics out there, and since I love them together, I decided to write one. **

**I don't own Flight 29 Down.**

Eric McGorrill didn't like to work. He always considered himself a cool, relaxed guy; a slacker; a term he thought some people might confuse with "lazy". He hated to do things for other people, he hated to do chores, and specially, he hated to be bossed around.

Almost a month had passed since the gang had been stranded on the island and Eric was more than sick of being there.

It seemed like every single thing he loathed the most multiplied ever since he set a foot on that place.

Being there was worse than homework, than teachers, it was worse than pretty much anything.

He just couldn't stand being there anymore, away from his family, his friends, videogames, tv, and most of all, real food.

And what was the worst part? The people he had to be stuck with. Nobody got along anymore even though all of them had already got used to live on the island. Everyone except for Eric. He still hoped to get out of the island, and refused to continue living there as if nothing was happening. Of course he didn't do any of the chores he was assigned and didn't speak to anybody. He was annoyed by everyone, especially Daley, who thought she still had the control of the situation and kept giving orders to everybody.

But no one listened to her anymore, except for Melissa.

"_Poor thing_" he thought. He always thought Melissa was too innocent or naïve.

But Melissa just considered herself to be very optimistic and she wanted things to keep working out as always, even if everyone was mad at each other. Things had been tense ever since Lex had a fight with Daley and Nathan tried to interfere, and the thing just didn't end pretty. On the other hand Melissa was not speaking to Jackson and Taylor for spending so much time together. She knew she had no right to be mad at them, because she and Jackson were nothing more than friends, buy she couldn't help feeling betrayed.

Everyone was so focused on their own little drama that they seemed to have forgotten about Eric. No one really cared about what he did or didn't do anymore. No one but Melissa. She was the only one who still tried to reach for him. Surprisely, he didn't try to push her away; he was actually glad someone still cared about him.

He rather isolate in the woods, away from all the drama that took place every day at the camp, usually starred by Daley or Nathan. He just hanged out there, taking naps or just fooling around, anything was better than being surrounded by them.

Melissa was picking firewood at the jungle when she ran into Eric, who was about to fall asleep.

"Eric!" yelled Melissa to wake him up. "You're supposed to be transporting water to the camp! We almost run out of it, you haven't done it in a long time."

"Ok, first of all, I'm not a camel" Eric answered "And second, nobody else still listen to Daley but you. Seriously, you look like her little puppet".

"Just because I still have hope in the system doesn't mean I'm being manipulated by Daley or something, alright?" she said, offended.

"What system?" he asked "There is no system! All Daley wants is to people go her way and do whatever she asks"

"She just wants us to survive, and I want the same thing too" explained Melissa.

"You just don't want to make her mad" said Eric, mocking her.

"That is so not true!" she said, getting a little bit mad.

"Yes it is! You always want to make everyone happy. That's why you do everything everyone tells you to do all the time, especially if is Jackson or Daley".

"Well, at least I care about other people than myself, unlike you" she said in her defense.

"It might be the case, but… sometimes it seems like you just want their approval or something, especially Jackson's since you have a crush on him. It's kinda pathetic actually.

Those last words from Eric hurt Melissa more than he expected. A tear started to fall on her cheek and her voice broke as she said:

"Well, I rather be a pathetic looser who cares too much than being a selfish jerk like you".

After saying this she started to walk away really fast. Eric was astonished by her reaction. He realized he crossed the line so he started to follow her.

"Wait! Melissa!" He reached her and touched her shoulder to make her turn around.

"I'm sorry…" he said "It's just that… I'm so tired of being stuck in this place and… seeing you working so hard to keep everything in peace, it just… I don't know, it irritates me."

"Ok…" said Melisa, confused.

"Don't get me wrong!" Eric said quickly "It's not like I dislike you or something, it's just that, I don't know… I guess I'm kinda jealous"

"You're jealous of me?" she asked, clueless "Why would you be jealous of me?"

"Because… it seems like you keep your sanity after all we've been through, and I'm already losing my mind" he explained.

"Well, I don't think I can agree with that… trying to survive has been really stressful" said Melissa.

"Yeah I know…" said Eric, sharing the feeling "That's why you shouldn't listen to Daley anymore"

"Eric!" she said "Can't you just understand that I'm doing it for everybody's' sake?"

"Yeah! But… believe or not… I care about you, and I don't like the way you let everyone step over you"

"You care about me?" asked Melissa, skeptical.

"Yes, I mean… you're practically the only friend I got left here" Eric confessed.

"Seriously?" she asked, touched.

"Yes" he answered "You're the only one who still speaks to me. Everyone else seems to have forgotten about me. Although I prefer it that way…"

"Well, is not just you" she said "We've all been distant lately".

"I'm sorry I was rude to you. It's like a natural talent I have".

"I know" Melissa said joking around.

"Can I confess something to you?" he asked.

"Of course".

"I'm scared" he said "Like way scared. I'm afraid we're never getting off this island".

"Eric…" Melissa said, with compassion "Don't say that. We can't lose hope at this moment".

"I know but, I think I lost it a long time ago".

"You know what?" said Melissa "I'm scared too, we're all scared, but the best thing we can do is stay together and be strong so we can keep surviving".

"Yeah, that doesn't seem to be working much…"

"Then we just have to try harder" said Melissa.

"I guess…" said Eric "At least I know I can count on you right?"

"Of course!" said Melisa "I'm here for you whenever you need anything" And she grabbed his hand "Always".

"Thanks" said Eric "For thinking there's still hope. It helps me keep sane".

Eric looked into Melissa's eyes. He never noticed before but, he actually liked her company. He was glad that he still had someone he could count on.

"Again, I'm really sorry for all the times I've ever been mean to you" he apologized.

"It's ok" she said.

"God I can't believe you forgive me so easily. Anyone else would've already kicked my ass" Eric said in his sarcastic true self.

Melissa laughed "Is just that I believe in second chances".

"God knows I need many of those" he said.

Then she just hugged him. Usually Eric would of back off, but at that moment that seemed to be the right thing to do. He felt warm for the first time in weeks, like there was still a reason to be alive, a reason to keep trying. If Melisa still believed in him after everything he did to her, maybe he could still believe in the possibility of being rescued, of getting off the island.

He thought about all the things Melissa had done for him, like saving his life, and how he never did anything in return; and still, there she was, comforting him.

"You really are a great person Melissa" Eric said, still embracing her.

"Thanks" she just said, with a smile on her face.

When they finally broke apart, they just stood there, looking at each other.

The next thing that happened took both of them by surprise.

Eric's lips met Melissa's. It was like he couldn't control himself. His mouth and her lips were dry, but still, the kiss felt so warm and full of energy. Everything else didn't seem to matter, it was just the two of them there; for a moment they both forgot they were stranded, that they were running out of water, food and sanity.

The whole world disappeared.

Eric left a final lip lock on Melissa's lips and when he opened his eyes he just stared at her, not knowing what to say. They started to feel really awkward.

"Ummmm… I just… I'm getting back to camp… to take the firewood to Daley" Melissa said, blushing.

"Yeah, sure… I'll just stay here for a while" Eric said, a little bit embarrassed too.

They didn't comment the kiss later, but they remained speaking occasionally; Melissa even got Eric to get back on his chores.

Eric wasn't sure he liked Melissa, he probably did, but he didn't want to try to figure it out at that moment. His only concern was surviving and trying to get out of the island, and he was really glad he had Melisa by his side to help him keep himself together.

**Hope you liked it.**

**English is not my first language, so please let me know if there are any grammatical mistakes or things out of context and I will correct them; it'll help improve my english.**


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